Cruise to Upolu Cay Reef and the outer edge of Upolu Reef

Like us if you love us:

Cruise to Upolu Cay Reef and the outer edge of Upolu Reef

Upolu Cay is a naturally formed coral cay situated 30 kilometers from Cairns on the Great Barrier Reef. Its protected shallow waters make it the perfect location from which to explore the reef, for both snorkelers and certified and introductory scuba divers. As it is a natural pontoon - the cay size and visibility is subject to conditions on the day but the clear shallow blue waters surrounding the cay (whether visible or not) are always there!

Ocean Freedom visits Upolu Cay Reef – a very fortunate day here where conditions allowed landing on the Cay itself!

Ocean Freedom visits Upolu Cay Reef – a very fortunate day here where conditions allowed landing on the Cay itself!

Ocean Freedom's 20m luxury cruising cat travels at 23 knots, reducing travelling time to the Great Barrier Reef to just one hour! The order in which the 2 destinations are visited will depend on the conditions on the day. Your skipper will pick the best order of destinations on each day to make your experience of our 2 sites the best possible! You may even want to try your first ever scuba dive, or for the certified diver, enjoy being guided by our qualified instructors on some of the best dive sites on the reef.

As Ocean Freedom commences its cruise to Upolu Cay Reef and the outer edge of Upolu Reef, you can relax in the air-conditioned saloon or on the fresh air sundeck. En route to the Great Barrier Reef,
the friendly crew will provide an introductory safety briefing and for those wanting to partake in introductory or certified scuba diving, the paperwork and briefs will be
completed on the way out.

One destination – Upolu Cay Reef: Enjoy a Glass Bottom boat tour around the crystal clear blue shallow waters surrounding Upolu Cay Reef. Ocean Freedom is the first boat to arrive, so you can enjoy this pristine area uninterrupted! Surrounded by stunning turquoise water and many types of corals, reef fishes, stingrays, cucumbers and sea stars, this is a great introduction to the reef. You can snorkel and dive here: all necessary assistance is provided to ensure every guest can enjoy the reef.

On occasions the water maybe shallow enough to allow landing on the Cay itself (as shown in photo below) – on other days you can sometimes stand in ankle to knee deep water and get photos of you (apparently standing in the middle of the ocean! ) and on other days the cay may be totally submerged but still have the beautiful crystal clear shallow waters to snorkel in.

Hang Out on Upolu Cay when conditions allow

Look out for the shy blue spotted stingrays feeding in the shallow waters

Lunch is served at approximately 11:30am in a self-serve buffet style. Enjoy a sumptuous feast of smoked salmon, chilled prawns, cold chicken and meats, three different
salads and fresh breads. While you dine, Ocean Freedom cruises slowly to the second site.

Second Site –Outer Edge Upolu Reef: You will be amazed and impressed at the "Wonder Wall" on the Outer Edge of Upolu Reef. Rising 14m from the ocean floor, "Wonder Wall" plateaus just 0.5m – 1M under the surface ( depending on the tide ), making it an ideal snorkel and dive site. View many different types of hard and soft coral, in addition to fans, giant clams, turtles and a huge diversity and abundance of reef fish of all sizes, including nemos everywhere! Enjoy an informative adventure drift snorkel tour with our Marine Naturalist.

Cruise to Upolu Reef

Swim with Green Sea Turtles

Order of destinations will be chosen by skipper on the day to maximise your enjoyment of each area. After a full six hours of unrushed pleasure on the reef and shallow waters surrounding the Cay, cruise home while our crew serve a sumptuous selection of tropical fruit, cheese, crackers and a decadent cake platter.
The ultimate way to wind down after a magical day on the one and only Great Barrier Reef! Arrive back into Cairns around 4.30pm.

Ocean Freedom's crew is both friendly and knowledgeable. Drop us an email if you have any questions about cruising to Upolu Cay and Upolu Reef, or our Great Barrier Reef trips in general.

Want to combine your reef tour with an island experience? Our sister ship Ocean Free provides Cairns premier cruise, sail, snorkel and dive tours to Green Island and its Pinnacle Reef,
daily. This is one of Cairns' only true sailing tours and you can help hoist the sails, or just relax and enjoy the romance of sailing the seas. Ocean Free limits its daily passenger
numbers to just 35, ensuring maximum passenger comfort and enjoyment. The exclusive mooring allows you to snorkel and dive the Great Barrier Reef without the crowds.
Tender transfers are provided to Green Island, where you can explore the rainforest, relax on the beach, visit Marineland Melanesia or just relax at the bar! The choice is yours.